Chickamauga 150th from the hillside

[DR_Hanna]

Just thought I would share a great time we had last year at Chicamauga 150th. We went up on Friday and drove around the area just to get our bearings as the event wouldn't be open to public spectators till Saturday. Driving along a ridge to the west of the valley on Friday afternoon we passed an overlook with 2 or 3 times coming and going. About the 3rd time we noticed some local folks peering off to the east and decided to get out and see what was up. When I opened the car door I was immediately greeted with the unmistakable Boom! Boom! sound of cannon fire from a distance. The cannons were aimed straight at us on the overlook - it was impressive. We spent the afternoon with 5 or 6 local folk watching the fun in the valley.
The weather was rainy Friday night and the valley fogged in on Saturday morning, but we returned to the overlook on Saturday afternoon - now with 20 or so locals and visitors coming and going - and got a grand view of the afternoons assaults below.
Figuring that it really just doesn't get any better than this, we returned to the overlook again on Sunday for the grand finale.
It is hard to describe the experience - the differences between a re-enactment and an actual battle sort of faded away when observed from the hillside - the Confederate and Union encampments - the almost bird's eye view of troop formations, the rows of cannons puffing out with smoke followed five or six seconds later with boom! boom! boom!... - the crackle of the muskets - the smoky battlefield - and even the occasional faint Rebel Yell brought up on the wind.
By the third day the overlook was pretty crowded - young and old, local and visitor, even a reenactor or two adding colorful commentary. It was an experience I won't forget.
It was also my "less interested in Civil War" half's first reenactment and now she's solidly sold on the idea.
I couldn't find info on a Chickamauga reenactment this year sadly, but hopefully everyone is coming to Atlanta in September, right?

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Thanks for the pic!....I was in the Confederate artillery line booming away all weekend!!

 

[robert hayden]

Just thought I would share a great time we had last year at Chicamauga 150th. We went up on Friday and drove around the area just to get our bearings as the event wouldn't be open to public spectators till Saturday. Driving along a ridge to the west of the valley on Friday afternoon we passed an overlook with 2 or 3 times coming and going. About the 3rd time we noticed some local folks peering off to the east and decided to get out and see what was up. When I opened the car door I was immediately greeted with the unmistakable Boom! Boom! sound of cannon fire from a distance. The cannons were aimed straight at us on the overlook - it was impressive. We spent the afternoon with 5 or 6 local folk watching the fun in the valley.
The weather was rainy Friday night and the valley fogged in on Saturday morning, but we returned to the overlook on Saturday afternoon - now with 20 or so locals and visitors coming and going - and got a grand view of the afternoons assaults below.
Figuring that it really just doesn't get any better than this, we returned to the overlook again on Sunday for the grand finale.
It is hard to describe the experience - the differences between a re-enactment and an actual battle sort of faded away when observed from the hillside - the Confederate and Union encampments - the almost bird's eye view of troop formations, the rows of cannons puffing out with smoke followed five or six seconds later with boom! boom! boom!... - the crackle of the muskets - the smoky battlefield - and even the occasional faint Rebel Yell brought up on the wind.
By the third day the overlook was pretty crowded - young and old, local and visitor, even a reenactor or two adding colorful commentary. It was an experience I won't forget.
It was also my "less interested in Civil War" half's first reenactment and now she's solidly sold on the idea.
I couldn't find info on a Chickamauga reenactment this year sadly, but hopefully everyone is coming to Atlanta in September, right?
View attachment 44427

I remember two things vividly about 150th Chickamauga. We witnessed a good number of "smoke rings" as cannons
fired. When I asked about that oddity on this forum, most felt it unexplainable. The battles largely took place in a green valley, surrounded by forest covered mountians. When the cannons fired, it was like the report couldn't make
it over the mountian, and just circled around the mountian tops in an echo. Easy to understand how the sounds of
battle can be so confusing.

 

[Phiip McBride]

Ditto what my friend Robert Haydon said above about the cannon echoes. And that's a fine photo. In looking up at the spectator hill from the sutler area, I had no idea the view was that high and panoramic. And seeing how far back our Reb campaign camp was on the far back hillside makes my feet ache all over again.

Thanks for posting that photo.

 

[DR_Hanna]

I'm not a reenactor, but my understanding is that the entertainment of us common folk is not the number one goal. Nonetheless, entertaining it is, and what you guys do (on your own time and money, I understand) is greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to the Battle of Atlanta this coming weekend!

 

[44 Henry]

I'm not a reenactor, but my understanding is that the entertainment of us common folk is not the number one goal. Nonetheless, entertaining it is, and what you guys do (on your own time and money, I understand) is greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to the Battle of Atlanta this coming weekend!

We will be there with the 66th Illinois Infantry armed with Henry rifles.

 

[DR_Hanna]

We will be there with the 66th Illinois Infantry armed with Henry rifles.

Awesome. Looking forward to it. I've actually been studying up on the Henry of late, as I have some unspent Birthday money that will revert to my wife if not spent soon. I was surprised to see a Union cavalryman with a Henry rifle at Tunnel Hill - loading rounds down the tube while riding... you could clearly see what an advance in technology they were.

 

[yankee hoorah]

I'll be at Atlanta, with no unit...